Diary of a printmaker

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When I was first approached by a publishing company, with a view to supplying them with some images for cards, I was worried it might have a detrimental effect on my sales. After all, why would you want to pay £250 for an original linocut when you can have the card for £2.50?

I’m not sure if I’ve had an upsurge in sales of original work through this (although other artist friends say they have) but they do raise your profile very efficiently. I’m quite happy to walk into the Royal Academy, say, or the Transport Museum, and see my cards displayed in their shop.

There can be the odd drawback, though. Not so long ago, I was taking part in a printmaking demonstration to coincide with a gallery exhibition. Alongside me was a very successful printmaker friend, who also happened to have a beautiful range of cards of her wood engravings. A nice couple came up to tell her how much they admired her work.“We’ve just bought six of your cards” they told her, smiling enthusiastically, “and framed them for the kitchen. You really can’t tell that they’re not the originals”.All said with the best intentions, I’m sure……..

Anyway, here are some of my cards, all available now. Those on the left are from Canns Down Press and those on the right are from Art Angels

I am featured in the current issue of Printmaking Today, a quarterly magazine which includes articles on printmaking techniques and materials and reviews of exhibitions and workshops. My article is titled Urban Theatre and is part of the long-running series called Artist’s Eye. In it I discuss my growing interest in the people that occupy my urban landscapes – unmissable!

Here I am, in front of my linocut, on the 246-metre-long hoarding which has been installed on Blackfriars Bridge, where the eastern side of the pavement has been closed to pedestrians as part of the Thameslink Programme works to rebuild and extend Blackfriars Station over the next two years.The hoardings have reproductions of four artworks displayed as part of a collaboration between Network Rail and the Bankside Gallery.The print selected is called First Light at Farringdon and is available from Bankside for £220, unframed. A card is also available to buy at all good shops and galleries.